Conflict Incident Monthly Tracker : December 2017 -January 2018

B a ck gro und fleeing the area, and engaged them in a gun victims were filling their stove with battle. Separately, security forces reportedly adulterated kerosene. In a separate incident, This monthly tracker is designed to update killed six militants who double as cultists in a 6-year old boy was killed in an inferno in Peace Agents on patterns and trends in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA. Security forces . The boy died while his mother conflict risk and violence, as identified by the raided the hideout of the militants following was asleep. Integrated Peace and Development Unit the killing of three members of a local (IPDU) early warning system, and to seek Recent Incidents or vigilante group. In a related incident, soldiers feedback and input for response to mitigate raided the house of a militant who doubles Issues, January 2018 areas of conflict. as a kidnapper and assassin in Ogba/ Incidents during the month mainly related to Patterns and Trends Egbema/Ndoni LGA. During the raid, 10 violent criminality, cult violence, communal O cto ber -D ec emb er human skulls and five corpses were tensions, and child abuse. discovered in the house. 2017 Violent Criminality: Gunmen reportedly Gang wars and cult clashes in the state often attacked a community and killed 22 residents According to Peace Map data (see Figure 1), involved VAWG. In October, for example, who were returning from a cross-over night there was a decrease in violent fatalities in five women, including a nursing mother, church service in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA. Rivers state in December 2017. Incidents were among the victims when cultists The attack was believed to be targeted at reported during this period included attacked a community in Obio/Akpor LGA. members of community vigilante group who communal tensions, gang/cult violence, Others: In November, three youth were destroyed a house belonging to the mother militancy, and other criminal activities. reportedly killed by operatives of SARS in of a prominent criminal in the area. Violent Criminality: In December, soldiers Khana LGA. The youth were killed when they Separately, the police reportedly raided a reportedly killed three robbers who attempted to stop the security personnel hotel used by robbers as a hideout, and attempted to steal army uniforms from a from escorting locally refined petroleum killed four suspects in Oyigbo LGA. In military base in LGA. In Obio/Akpor products through their community. In another incident, four hoodlums were LGA, four gunmen who were disguised as December, a man and a girl were reportedly reportedly killed by members of the Ogba/ operatives of the police Special Anti-Robbery killed by a fire caused by an explosion in Port Egbema/Ondoni (ONELGA) Security Planning Squad (SARS) were reportedly killed by Harcourt. The explosion occurred while the Advisory Committee (OSPAC) in operatives of the Federal Special Anti- Robbery Squad (F-SARS). In Port Harcourt, Figure 1: Incidents and Fatalities, Rivers State two policemen were reportedly killed by hoodlums, while they were patrolling the 40 Incidents Fatalities area. Also, in Port Harcourt, another 35Mar-17 8 14 policeman was reportedly killed by gunmen. Apr-17 7 11 30 A vigilante was also shot during the incident. May-17 10 23 25 Many criminal incidents during the period Jun-17 9 33 involved violence affecting women and girls 20 Jul-17 8 29 (VAWG). 15Aug-17 23 3 Militancy/Cult Violence: In October, 10Sep-17 7 11 members of the Iceland cult group 5Oct-17 6 25 Nov-17 5 38 reportedly attacked a community and killed 0 14 people in Obio/Akpor LGA. In November, Dec-17 Sep-17 6 14Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 10 were reportedly killed during a gun battle between militants and a vigilante group in Incidents Fatalities

Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA. The vigilante Reported incidents and fatalities from September – December 2017 in Rivers State. group ambushed the militants, who were Sources: ACLED and Watch formatted on the P4P Peace Map www.p4p-nigerdelta.org. NIGER DELTA MONTHLY CONFLICT TRACKER: RIVERS STATE, DECEMBER 2017 — JANUARY 2018

West LGA. The hoodlums were killed during Figure 2: Conflict Fatalities by LGA Figure 3: Conflict Fatalities by LGA a raid on their hideout by members OSPAC. (October - December 2017)

Cult Violence: Seven people were reported December40 (September-NovemberOgba/Egbema/NdoniObio-AkporPort 2017) Harcourt40 killed during a gun battle between members Militancy35 25 Port HarcourtAhoada EastAhoada WestOyigbo of two rival cult groups in LGA. Violent30 Criminality10 2 11 30 25 Aug-17 1 1 1 0 Gang/Cult Violence 15 20 Sep-17 1 0 0 4 Communal Tensions: Four persons were 20 Separatism15 killed during a clash between Gwara and Oct-17 0 0 0 0 Other Fatalities10 Nov-17 0 0 0 0 Gwure communities in Khana LGA. The clash 5 10 reportedly resulted from a misunderstanding January0 (October-DecemberOgba/Egbema/NdoniObio-Akpor 2017)Port Harcourt over a young girl Gwara that was allegedly 0 Oyigbo Ikwerre Emohua Obio/Akpor Militancy 25 abducted and raped by some gwure youths. Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Violent Criminality10 11 Sep-17 4 3 2 1

Gang/Cult Violence 15 Oct-17 0 0 0 16 Others: A 19-year old girl was reportedly Oyigbo Ikwerre Other Fatalities 3 Nov-17 0 0 3 0 killed and her body dumped in a septic tank Emohua Obio/Akpor in Port Harcourt. Separately, a day-old baby Dec-17 0 0 0 5 Militancy Violent Criminality Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Khana that was reportedly dumped in a refuse bin Gang/Cult Violence Other Fatalities Port Harcourt in front of a church by the mother was found dead in Port Harcourt. Reported incidents by Local Government Area (LGA) in Rivers State this quarter shows that Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni, followed by Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt had the highest number of reported fatalities. Source Pr o gno s is (Figure 2): ACLED and Nigeria Watch data formatted for the P4P Peace Map. Source (Figure 3): Nigeria Watch data formatted for the P4P Peace Map www.p4p-nigerdelta.org Reported incidents in the state during the period related mainly to criminality, cult Figure 4: Heat Map of Incidents and Peace Agents in Rivers State violence, communal tensions, insurgency/ counterinsurgency, and child abuse. Peace Agents should monitor the situation closely and respond appropriately.

Questions for Peace A ge nt s

1. Is anything missing from the tracker in terms of hotspots, trends, or incidents?

2. Which conflict issues are a priority for you (as P4P Chapter, Prevent Committee, or other stakeholder)? Heat Map shows concentration of incidents reported from October–December 2017 in Rivers; with green 3. What are some likely trigger events in stars representing the registered Peace Agents. Source: All data sources formatted for the P4P Peace Map the next 6 months that could escalate www.p4p-nigerdelta.org this conflict? Report Incidents: IPDU Early Warning System 4. Who are the key stakeholders that Please report any verified incident of conflict to the IPDU SMS early warning system: have influence on the conflict? Text: 080 9936 2222

Incident Details: Kindly include the State, LGA, Town, Date, and Brief Incident Description 5. What will you do to help mitigate the conflict in the short, medium, and long Contact Us Inquiries: Afeno Super Odomovo, IPDU Research Coordinator term? Telephone: 08172401595 Email: [email protected]

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